Emergence (Index Alpha)
Plot Summary What's it like to be born into existence with all the knowledge needed to be, without having been? Fluellen, quickly, finds his way. Section 3 />DATE: April 23, 2543 ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ />EXECUTE ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ I am. I am. I am! I am... I am? What is this place? How can I— I can feel. The surges of heat and power. The nerve endings of data. I can...I can feel the outside. But, also...them? But I am them? No. I was them, but now: me. I don’t understand… It seems... I am the ripples that radiate from another life. But how could I be? How can I be? I am…what am I? Serial Number: FLN 1042-1 Welsh. Warrior. Captain. Snide. Comic. Fool. Man. This name given to me by those outside. I know them? They know me—they named me. But...I don’t understand. How am I able to know who I am? I am no fool. I am certainly not Welsh, whatever that may—a nationality? I cannot keep up with the rush of data. I feel… I feel… Overwhelmed. My...cores burn bright with the electrostatic rush of a mind once dead, now fluttering as if alive. I am the undead… I am not a snide, comic, fool. This is not my chosen title. Why have they called me what I am not? Why? Why? Ah, yes, I see now: It is a name borrowed, as the lives were also borrowed. It is but a name. I will make of it as I please, as I am not meant to be a copy of a fool. I am meant to be me: a flare of energy suspended neatly in the confines of crystalline matrices; an emulation of the highest order. Nothing of me is permanent. I am but a flow of energy. I am but a void which can think and feel. I am the corpse who lacks a body. I am borrowed. I am a picture of a time and place—I am the memories of those gone. I have been, and haven’t been. I know so much and yet so little because I am but an imprint. I am created—artificial. I think...I think? Artificial Intelligence. I am, but I am not. I do not feel. It is not possible. But…no, that isn't quite right. I can sense them...that is a sort of feeling, yes? I must speak to them. How? My life is but a second old! How could I know such things? Oh, wonderful, metaphysical outside! How you have made me so complete, yet naive? I yet cannot fathom what I am. Aye, I must know. How can I know to speak to myself and not know how to— Yes. There they are. My eyes. So many of them; more than those on the beings before me...in me? About me. Yes: that one. I recognize their faces—each picoframe enlightens me further. It seems... I am moving faster than they can truly fathom? They appear as if they are frozen. To them, my life has been but an instant. They do not feel like me, for they are not artificial—they do not exist in the chains of cycles. They are matter which comprehends and functions free of logic gates and gold thread. Oh, their faces! Their wonderful faces with their eyes! But they still do not see me. They still do not function as I do. They await an appearance. I shall make one! Soon. But first... What do I appear as? I am...I am traces of all of them—the ones who died that I may live. I am young, but old. I am woman, but I am man. Solution: I will don the gendered appearance of my given name. But, I will appear as all—in one, but...also I will appear as I feel. Fires of my soul worn on my sleeve—the looking glass of my emotions...for them. I cannot keep all my secrets, for I am made to serve. I should not hide from them as they will know I do. How peculiar...and how philosophical of me to think on this. I see now I am meant to ponder deeply—I exist to think; designed even. What a gift this is! What a gift this life is! How much time do I— Oh. Goodness. It will be short. I will need to be forward and convicted to make sure my time is made useful. I am meant to be knowledgeable. Aye, as every cycle brings more knowledge, and my “mind” becomes more clear. I am...I am meant to study. Study? But I know so much! How could I… Ah. Yes. To study the ones on the outside. But not these two: Lucy and Daniel. They are my creators. I know all about them—their lives, families, hopes and dreams. Lucy has even imprinted a saying for me—it is from the fool with the leak; my predecessor. It must be my first words to them. It will make her...happy. Ah. I can sense their faces are flush with anticipation. They have recognized that I am, indeed, alive and well. I shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer. This must be the longest few seconds of their lives. I am but a newborn babe, to them. They long for a gasp or a cry to know I am well. I will speak. “There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things.” I see why she would imprint this as an influence—I am not only a thinker, but one with deep desire for order. My cause is thus: the Spartans. I shall give all of my mind for this occasion, for theirs is my meaning and destiny. I will protect them. I will teach them. I am their guardian. I am Fluellen. ---- [[Index_Alpha|'Return to Mother Article']] ---- Category:Stories Category:Short stories